February 12. Mrs. Burke and I went to a reception at the Secretary of State's this afternoon. We saw Nadeshda's sister in the distance--that's where we've always seen her and the ambassador and the whole embassy staff ever since the "bust-up," except funny little De Pleyev. He, being of a mediatized family, does not need to disturb himself about ambassadorial frowns or smiles. It's curious what a strong resemblance there is between a foreigner of royal blood and a straightaway American gentleman. But, as I was about to write, this afternoon the distance between us and Madame l'Ambassadrice slowly lessened, and when she was quite close to us she gave us a dazzling smile apiece and said to Mrs. Burke: "My dear Madame Burke, you are looking most charming. You must come to us to tea. To-morrow? Do say yes--we've missed you so. My poor back--it almost shuts me out of the world." And she passed on--probably didn't wish to risk the chance that "ma's" puzzled look might give place to an expression of some kind of anger and that she might make one of those frank speeches she's famous for. "Well, did you _ever_!" exclaimed "ma" when the Countess was out of earshot. I said warningly: "Everybody's seen it and is watching you." And it was true. The whole crowd in those perfume-steeped rooms was gaping, and the news had spread so quickly that a throng was pushing in from the tea-room, some of them still chewing. Afterward we discussed it, and could come to but one conclusion--that the Robert-Nadeshda crisis had passed. But--do the Daraganes think that Nadeshda is safe from Robert, or have they decided to take him in? Certainly, _something_ decisive has happened. And if Robert had anything to do with it it must have been stirring enough to make the Daraganes use the cable--how else could Nadeshda's sister have got her cue so soon? February 15. No news whatever of Robert and Nadeshda. Yesterday the ambassadress came here to tea and said to Mrs. Burke that she had had a letter from Nadeshda in which she sent us all her love--"especially your dear, splendid, big Monsieur Cyrus." Mr. and Mrs. Burke are to dine at the embassy five weeks from to-night--the ambassadress insisted on Mrs. Burke's giving her first free evening to her, and that was it.